The Teutonic Crosses began the construction of a fortified castle in Bytow between 1398 and 1405. A hill with excellent natural defensive conditions was chosen for the location of the castle.
The building was created on the plan of a rectangle measuring 70 m x 50 m. Closing rectangular courtyard stone – brick walls with foundations of nearly 3 meters thick were stacked in the corners with a tower and three extended towers. The approach to the castle from the east side was defended by the moat system, the forecast and the desecued bridge.
Modern for these times the castle was m.in. the role of border guards, the headquarters of the Teutonic Administration and the inn for western European knighthood, going to the capital of the Teutonic State in Malbork. During the thirteen-year war, the bytowski castle fell into the hands of the Polish king Kazimierz Jagiellon, who gave the land for life to the Pomeranian Prince Gryfica – Eric II. In princely times, the castle was m.in. as a summer princely residence.
Over the centuries, the castle has held various functions. When the renovation work in the East Wing was completed in 1974, the library was established there. In 1980, the south wing was put into operation and a hotel and restaurant were located there. In the buildings of the North Wing found its headquarters Western Museum. Today, knight’s fraternities organize shows of knighthoods at the castle, making your stay in this uniquely charming place even more attractive. In Bytow, the tourist will find a clean environment and a climate of cordiality. The land of being is characterized by a highly varied sculpture of the terrain. Forests in the region are a magnet for hikers, cyclists and hunters and forest fleece pickers. A well-developed hydrographic network creates excellent conditions for the development of sailing on lakes and kayaking. Nature reserves and marked hiking trails increase the tourist attractiveness of the bytowski land. Especially recommended are: bike trail Miastko – Bytów – Lębork – Łeba; canoe trail along the Słupia River; walking trail from Rekowa to Kłączno and marked hiking trails: blue and yellow.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist information, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. 59 822 68 39, e-mail: it@fundacjaparasol.org
Attractions
Bytowski Castle, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. 59 822 55 12, www.zamekbytowski.pl
Muzeum Zachodniokaszubskie, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. 59 822 26 23, www.muzeumbytow.pl
MUSEUM – Monday: 10.00 – 16.00 – free entry
The museum occupies the northern, oldest wing of the castle called the Religious House and two adjacent Towers: The Mlin and Powder, as well as the curtain defensive wall.
Tour:
Monday: 10.00 – 16.00 – free entry
(Free admission only for permanent ethnographic exposure. Entire museum available for a full fee)
Tuesday – Friday: 10.00 – 18.00 (after the season until 16.00)
Saturday – Sunday: 10.00 – 18.00 (after the season until 16.00)
The tower of the former Church of St. Katarzyna in Bytow
The property houses a branch of the Western Kashubian Museum. This branch presents permanent expositions of a historical nature related to the past of the city of Bytow and the historical land of bytow.
Railway bridge over the River Borują – railway bridge, after which the train never crossed. Built at the end of the 19th century on the River Borują viaduct, it was intended to serve the emerging railway line to Miastek. However, after the completion of the work, the tracks were led only a few hundred meters from the original plans. As a result, no railway station ever drove through it. On the pillars of the bridge there are coats of arms of Prussia, Pomerania, Bytow and German railways.
St. John’s Church George, Byzantine-Ukrainian Orthodox Church
St. John’s Church George was erected between 1675 and 1685 by local evangelicals. Until 1859, kashubian services were held here. Today it is a Byzantine-Ukrainian church, where you can see the 17th century tabernacle from the Surochów Church (in Podkarpacie) and the iconostasis.
A set of multi-family tenement houses in compact buildings formed mostly at the end of the 19th century at ul. Dozymała
Culture
Bytowskie Centrum Kultury, ul. Polish Army 12, tel. (+48) 59 822 25 44, www.bck-bytow.pl
Albatros Cinema, ul. Polish Army 12, tel. (+48) 59 822 25 44, www.bck-bytow.pl
Knight’s Brotherhood of the Legion of the Cross, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. (+48) 695 592 407
Association of Kashubian-Pomeranian Branch in Bytow, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. (+48) 59 822 55 12
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel W Zamku**, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. (+48) 59 822 20 94, (+48) 822 20 95, www.hotelwzamku.pl
Hotel Dana **, ul. Derdowskiego 1, tel. (+48) 59 822 28 47, (+48) 59 822 60 47, www.ulanspa.pl
Centrum Ułan SPA, ul. Tartaczna 10, tel. (+48) 59 822 66 47, (+48) 59 822 32 47, www.ulanspa.pl
Dom Sportowca, ul. Mickiewicza 13, tel. (+48) 59 822 26 10, (+48) 725 128 755, www.basen-bytow.pl
Gastronomy
Restaurant Jaś Kowalski, ul. Zaułek Drozdowy 3, tel. (+48) 59 822 55 04
Restaurant In the Castle, ul. Zamkowa 2, tel. (+48) 59 822 20 94, (+48) 59 822 20 95
Restaurant Ulan, ul. Tartaczna 10, tel. (+48) 59 822 66 47, (+48) 59 822 32 47
Restaurant Młyn, ul. Wolności 15, tel. (+48) 880 503 503
Kashubian Restaurant, ul. Wojska Polskiego 26, tel. (+48) 59 822 26 42
Restaurant U Maryli, ul. Wojska Polskiego 12, tel. (+48) 513 917 358
Restaurant On Lake Deer, ul. Deer Resort 1, tel. (+48) 504 577 024, (+48) 59 822 65 70
Green Hills Restaurant, ul. Świerkowa 1, Mądrzechowo, tel. (+48) 607 601 736
Full Taste Cellar, ul. Derdowskiego 1, tel. (+48) 59 821 21 20
Qltura Club, ul. Jana Pawła II 19, tel. (+48) 508 058 014
Bar Tonic, ul. Armii Krajowej 7, tel. (+48) 59 822 22 20
Bar Gyros, ul. Gdańska 12, tel. (+48) 59 822 56 04
Bar Beza, ul. 1-go Maja 4, tel. (+48) 504 18 72 57
Bar Döner Express, ul. Dworcowa 17a, tel. (+48) 59 822 62 19
Kebab XL, ul. Ogrodowa 3a, tel. 608 277 772
Small Bar, ul. Wojska Polskiego 40, tel. (+48) 59 822 27 16
Café Sweet Cupcake, ul. Jana Pawła II 7/2, tel. (+48) 691 928 941, (+48) 663 556 747
Café PAUZA, ul. Wojska Polskiego 35c, tel. (+48) 790 366 790
Niche Club, ul. Zamkowa 2
EVENTS – Bytow Days, Pomeranian Fair, Cassubia Cantat Festival, BytOFFsky Festival, East of Stars Song Festival, Bytowska Watra, Kashubian Creativity Review, Signal and Hunting Music Review, cabaret meetings, concerts and outdoor performances, chamber concerts from the Music at the Castle series
information: www.bck-bytow.pl
Municipal Office
ul. 1 Maja 15, tel. 59 822 20 11
www.bytow.com.pl